Revised in Storr (1978) and again in Shea and Scanlon (2007). Males grow bigger than females, and probably exhibit male-male combat (Shine 1980). This genus exhibits "typical" whipsnake morphology and behaviour: slender body, long tail, large eyes, active hunters, terrestrial, oviparous, diurnal, feeding mainly on lizards (Shine 1980). These characteristics can be found in a few other genera around the world.

Very slender; grey-brown to brown above with little pattern on the body. No dark band across nape; face and throat adorned with dark streaks and blotches; dark comma-shaped streak extends from eye to mouth.

Widespread and extremely variable between subspecies. Pale-edged dark brown ring around eye merging with dark teardrop mark from bottom of eye to corner of mouth. Dark line present across snout. Colouration is variable between subspecies, but usually varies between grey, olive, yellow or copper. Scales often dark-edged, forming a reticulated pattern.

A robust whipsnake; light to greyish brown in colour; lateral body scales often dark-edged anteriorly, but otherwise patterning is mostly absent. A dark teardrop mark extends from lower eye to about corner of mouth; line across front of snout obscure or non-existent.

Grey-brown above. Top of head is darker, bordered behind by a pale-edged black band across nape; tending to fade in older animals. A light-edged, narrow, dark bar runs across the snout from nostril to nostril.

Dark grey, shades of brown to black above, tending to become redder posteriorly; body scales typically with dark edges. Head usually tan in colour; sometimes a dark teardrop mark is present from the eye to mouth; dark spots and blotches sometimes present on the head and neck.